Hailing from Bhilai in Chattisgarh, rap duo SPAZZERS recently released their first EP titled “Title is Due”, in collaboration with Nagpur based producer ATHRV. Formed in 2021 after Amay and Mohak first met at a local cypher, they’ve managed to craft quite a name and reputation for themselves in this short period of time. They cemented their place and introduced new listeners to their sound, with singles like “Ladke Galat”, “Name Drop Freestyle”. They didn’t stop there, as their “Patashe-Remix” caught the eye of Delhi rap veteran Smoke, and they also won Yungsta’s Yungiverse Flip Challenge. Having made waves in the DHH community outside of their home state of Chattisgarh, they released “Title is Due” with the name being a fun play on the oft-quoted “Rent is Due” line in hip hop. The cover art is also inspired by one of the most legendary hip hop albums of all time, “Wu Tang Forever” by Wu Tang.
We’re eased into the EP with a vocal sample on the first track “Galat The?”, talking about the unending grind that the artists stay on to this day, how they didn’t reap any fruits of their labour when they started, but they refused to give up, kept their eyes on the prize and their hands on their pens, and how they’re finally getting recognition. The beat comes in, with a boom bap drum pattern and some heavy 808s, over which Amay drops bars about how their haters come to them now, asking them to represent their city all over India and the world. They both catch some very unique and unusual pockets, making their lines hit even harder. The stylistic difference in Amay and Mohak’s rapping and the timbre of their voice play very well off of each other, adding a nice contrast to each track. They also talk about how SPAZZERS came to be, how they both met as kids who loved hip hop in the local scene, and ended up working together. The track closes out with a callback to their track “Ladke Galat”, sonically depicting how far they’ve come.
Taking a leaf out of a Raftaar verse, the second track is titled “Genesis 22:17”. This one starts off with a very smooth and jazzy piano and brass section (courtesy ATHRV) over which laid back drums come in with the bars. This instrumental has a TPAB-era-Kendrick vibe to it, something I’m a huge fan of. Mohak takes the mic first, taking the listener back to 2020, when he used to try to rap inside his room, how he decided to go to a local cypher that was happening to explore the scene, and how that one decision changed his life, because that’s where he met Amay and formed SPAZZERS. Amay addresses similar themes on this one. They air out a few of their dislikes about the current scene, talking about industry plants and wack rappers. They also fondly look back on what they’ve achieved so far. The title suggests they have a lot more to accomplish, to build their legacy.
The vibe is flipped on its head yet again with the next track “Parivarik Gaana”, a track which hilariously, has the complete opposite vibe of what the title imparts. This one is a staple flex track with the trap drums, in your face 808s, and rapid and aggressive delivery, a classic Seedhe Maut style packer. The duo embrace their witty and braggadocious side with this one, piling on bars on bars on bars on top of the instrumental.
The 4th track starts off with a heavy, almost evil sounding guitar sting over which the trap vibe is carried on from the last song. As the title suggests, “Outrap” is the song where Amay and Mohak go all out, combining all their best bars, flows, and delivery into one verse, justifying the name of the duo. The raw, unpolished production is a nice backdrop for these lines and the sample has a Madlib-type feel to it. There’s a pre–verse section where the sample drops out for a few seconds, allowing the lyrics to take centre stage. The hook brings it all together, putting into words what the song is about.
SPAZZERS close out this EP with a slow RnB-infused track titled “Ruke Na Grind”. It features a mellow guitar melody along with some smooth synths and drums. Amay and Mohak both take a sung verse on this, a wise choice, considering the themes they address on it. This track does exactly what a closing track should, summing up the stuff talked about on the EP while also leaving the listeners with an idea of what they can expect from the duo going forward.
With this EP, SPAZZERS and ATHRV have proved that they can take any sound, any genre and make it their own, while also switching and cycling between them without missing a beat. This EP is just the beginning, and if the tracks featured here are any sign of what’s to come, they’ll definitely be the ones to watch, as they put their city and India on the map.
